Nobody's Fool (1994)

Sully's Travails

By Jeffrey M. Anderson

I saw this one on an airplane, but I really liked it. It's one of those small gems that make you smile. Newman plays Sully, a crotchety old codger in upstate New York whose newly single son comes to stay, along with Sully's grandson. This gives him a fresh opportunity to learn to be a parent (or grandparent). Director Robert Benton gives the movie a light touch, focusing on humor and characters and dialogue (adapted from Richard Russo's book), and using the snow-covered exteriors to create a heavier sense of mood. The terrific supporting cast includes Jessica Tandy, Melanie Griffith, Bruce Willis, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Dylan Walsh and Philip Seymour Hoffman. Benton, Russo and Newman re-teamed for Twilight.